Printing apparatus, liquid absorbing apparatus, and printing method

Abstract

A printing apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an ink image, a transfer unit that transfers the ink image formed on a transfer member to a print medium in a transfer operation, and a liquid absorbing member that absorbs a liquid component from the ink image before the transfer operation. A recovery unit recovers absorption performance of the liquid absorbing member by applying a moisturizing liquid to the liquid absorbing member. A first estimation unit estimates, based on print data, an ink discharge amount of ink to form the ink image, and a second estimation unit estimates a liquid amount of the liquid component to be absorbed by the liquid absorbing member from the estimated ink discharge amount. In addition, a control unit controls an application amount of the moisturizing liquid by the recovery unit based on a result of estimation by the second estimation unit.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the Invention[0001]The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a liquid absorbing apparatus, and a printing method, and particularly to, for example, a technique of absorbing a liquid component of ink discharged to a transfer member in a printing apparatus that transfers an image formed by discharging the ink to the transfer member to a print medium and prints the image.Description of the Related Art[0002]A technique of forming an ink image on a transfer member and transferring it to a print medium such as paper is proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-182064 discloses an image formation apparatus configured to form an ink image on an intermediate member and transfer the ink image to a sheet. This apparatus includes an inkjet device that forms a primary image on the intermediate member. This apparatus also includes a zone where a coagulation body is formed in the primary image, a zone where a liquid is partially remo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]For example, a printing apparatus, a liquid absorbing apparatus, and a printing method according to this invention are capable of satisfactorily keeping liquid absorption performance of a liquid absorbing member that absorbs a liquid component of a formed ink image, and implementing higher-quality image formation and image printing.

[0011]The invention is particularly advantageous since it is possible to maintain the liquid absorption performance of the liquid absorbing member satisfactorily. This makes it possible to satisfactorily keep the condition of an ink image formed on a transfer member, and transfer a higher-quality image to a print medium and print the image.

Problems solved by technology

Consequently, the processed liquid may be applied excessively and used wastefully.

However, there is no arrangement that detects and keeps the condition of the liquid absorbing member.

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